


The Orange Doesn’t Fall Far From the Tree

by John_Steiner



Series: Xeno Ex Machina [1]
Category: science fiction space opera
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-02
Updated: 2020-02-02
Packaged: 2021-02-27 22:01:32
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 585
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22532911
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/John_Steiner/pseuds/John_Steiner
Series: Xeno Ex Machina [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1621222





	The Orange Doesn’t Fall Far From the Tree

"Hey," one of the human parents shot up from their chair and shouted, and then turned looking around. "Someone get security!"

Jodentun Auwoss, an Urodura refugee always had a hard time getting the human kids' respect. Being around two and a half meters tall and weighing almost as much as something humans called a draft horse, he would've thought that at least might incur a fear element.

Yet, the kids seemed to take advantage of his neurologically edited demeanor. On the Urodura colony where he grew up and since fled, Jodentun's people had a long practice of identified aptitudes at birth and configuring personalities to match. It left Jodentun a persona often called a beta male by the humans, and it made him an easy target for the crueler H. sapiens children.

Being Urodura also meant that citrus would cause severe burning rashes. Nine year old Davin Moores must have known. Davin threatened to smear an orange slice onto Jodentun, when he thought no one would noticed at the back of the class standing up for the choir.

In panic, Jodentun pushed the kid away, and practically fell over backwards himself. Tara Rose, the other class teacher, noticed the look on Jodentun's face and recognized it. However, by then the School Resource Officer, Eric Wilmore was already on the scene, with the parent in front of him and pointing an accusing finger at Jodentun.

"That Sherbet Kong just shoved my son down!" the man's facial tone exploded into red, which was the color of anger on lighter humans.

"Whoa, sir," Eric held up his hand, "There is no reason to hurl racial slurs like that."

Sherbet Kong was an odd amalgomation of something called orange sherbet and a cinematic mythology about an impossibly large gorilla.

"Eric, could you review the overhead cam, please," Tara asked, though giving a critical eye to Davin.

"Alright, let's see what we got here," Eric replied, and slipped out a flexible sheet from his wrist phone.

Tara strode over to Jodentun, who was already getting up, and doubted very much she could've helped him rise anyway. However, she poured the most heartfelt sympathy toward him. "Are you going to be okay?"

"Yes," Judentun answered in his baritone voice, and actively nodding in the affirmative in imitation of human mannerisms. "It was close, but he didn't get any on me."

"What, I don't get it," Eric said, studying the video playing over the prismatic film. "It's just an orange."

"Exactly," Davin's father seethed. "He was probably just trying to eat it before the song started. But your diversity hire here, didn't like that, so he slammed my kid onto the floor!"

"Mr. Wilmore," Tara stepped up to explain, "Citrus is a toxin to Urodura, and as you see on the video, Mr. Moore's kid was acting maliciously with it toward Mr. Auwoss.

"I don't see...," Eric caught himself short, as he reran the video from other angles. "I'm going to have to take this with Principle Ires."

"Don't put Davin in detection, or so help me I'll sue the entire district," Mr. Moore blasted.

"Mr. Moore," Eric calmly said, "You know it's school policy to review every altercation and act of bullying. You had to sign that when enrolling your son into this school."

Jodentun could only look at Davin. The human child had a minor scrape on his elbow, which had Jodentun feeling bad, but the thought of the orange nearly making contact with his skin gave him a shiver.


End file.
